Hunting fool versus epicoutdoors

tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,423
1,072
north idaho
For the last 2 years the huntin fool has been doing my out of state hunting apps for me. I see Jason carter has left and formed another company called epic outdoors. Should I stay or switch. Or does it really matter who does your out of state applications? I used bighorn permit service for about 5 years until the gentleman passed away and than I moved to the huntin fool.

thanks
tim
 

Topgun 30-06

Banned
Jun 12, 2013
1,353
1
Allegan, MI
Why do you need a service to do your applications? My buddy, who applies for about every animal in at least ten different states does them all himself and he's a pretty busy guy, but still finds time to do them himself. If you already are using HF and it ain't broke, why fix it?
 

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
61
North Umpqua, Oregon
Interesting that Epic Outdoors are five of the guys who left Huntin Fool including family (Jason Carter, Adam Bronson, Chris Petersen, Kurt Connley, John Petersen) and they are based in the same small town of Cedar City that Huntin Fool is based out of.
 

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
61
North Umpqua, Oregon
Tim…it matters hugely who does your applications. Unless you are personally choosing the units to apply for, when you work with an application service, your application along with dozens of others of their clients are put in for the same hunt the application service determines. After playing the application game for 30 years, in my mind, that would not be a recipe for consistently drawing good tags.
 

2brassballs

New Member
Aug 27, 2013
34
0
I hear I feel your pain I'm new to western hunting and there is a ton on info to know before you select your picks for the year. I know picking states and units is fun for people that know it but it's very hard for a new western hunter. I contacted Cabelas but gave up after there sales pitch. Very much looking forward to 2014 season ..
 

Musket Man

Veteran member
Jul 20, 2011
6,457
0
colfax, wa
I am not the computer super studs you guys are. so I enlist help where I need to.
LOL! Im not a super computer anything and I do all my own. Research is 1/2 the fun of it to me and I really look forward to app season and all the new MRS's and research every year!
 

Zim

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
738
67
LaPorte, IN
After reading about and talking to several guys who had their apps screwed up by the pro app services and get $20 gift cards as compensation, not sure why anyone would continue using them. Heck almost every F&G makes it so easy with online apps these days.

That being said, must have been one hell of a division to break up the HF crew like this. Curious to see how HF quality is affected.
 
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Eberle

Veteran member
Oct 2, 2012
1,009
13
50
Sasakwa, Oklahoma
I apply in 7 western states myself. Tell me what state, weapon & animal. I'll tell you what unit for free! Apps are not hard. The MRS section Eastman"s has is all you need to look at!
 

tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,423
1,072
north idaho
for me it has mainly been sheep tags I am applying for. I missed some deadlines a few years ago, and didn't want that to happen again, so I went to the tag service. mainly desert sheep
 

WapitiBob

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,385
58
Bend, Orygun
Question, did any of the app services ask for your point totals when applying to AZ and then give you a list of the only hunts you would have any chance to draw?
 

Zim

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
738
67
LaPorte, IN
for me it has mainly been sheep tags I am applying for. I missed some deadlines a few years ago, and didn't want that to happen again, so I went to the tag service. mainly desert sheep
Haha all you need to do is sign up for free at HunterAlerts.com and they will text message you reminders 5 days, 3 days & 1 day prior to any application deadline you specify. That is what I do. Free is a hellofalot cheaper.
 

Zim

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
738
67
LaPorte, IN
HF has already made one mistake. Creating a forum, but making you pay $100 extra to access it? Really? There are like a thousand free hunting forums out here. Charging any fee creates a barrier to entry that will highly restrict participant numbers, and thus usefulness.
 

buckbull

Veteran member
Jun 20, 2011
2,167
1,354
I received advertisement from the HF last week. Couldn't believe they want customers to pay an extra $100 to use the forum and some of the other benefits you use to get for the $100. I always used the HF as a way to weed out units rather than picking units to apply in. The top five units they pick almost always have astronomical odds. Can't afford the landowner tags they peddle so I stoppped subscribing. Not bashing the HF, it just wasn't right for me and Eastman's fits my needs much better.